This story was produced as part of the Colorado Capitol News Alliance. It first appeared at cpr.org.
Former Democratic Congresswoman Yadira Caraveo announced on Friday that she will be withdrawing her candidacy from the U.S. House race in Colorado’s 8th Congressional District.
Caraveo was one of several Democratic contenders in a primary race for Colorado’s most politically competitive district; she’d hoped to set up a rematch against Republican Gabe Evans, who unseated her by about 2,600 votes last November.
In a written statement, Caraveo thanked her supporters and said it was not a decision she made lightly.
“Unfortunately, I faced very strong resistance to my candidacy this cycle due almost entirely to the stigmatization of mental health in America,” she wrote. “I hope that one day we will see more acceptance and understanding of illnesses like depression, and that leaders at all levels will be able to support those in need in actions and not just words.”
Caraveo has talked publicly about her mental health struggles during her time in Congress, which included two trips to the emergency room before she sought in-person help at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C. Caraveo did not disclose that information at the time.
The 8th Congressional District, which stretches from the northern Denver suburbs to Greeley in Weld County, is rated a toss-up ahead of the midterm elections. In the two elections since its creation, it’s attracted an immense amount of campaign money, ads and national political interest, especially with control of the chamber at stake.
She also faced allegations from some of her former staffers that she mistreated them; they requested a safety plan while Caraveo was struggling with her mental health.
Caraveo also faced criticism for her voting record from progressives in the district, including supporting a resolution condemning then-Vice President Kamala Harris, after she had become the party’s nominee for president.
The former congresswoman faced an uphill campaign. Fellow Democrats continued to enter the race even as she sought to regain her seat; she did not receive any endorsements from her former Colorado Democratic colleagues, nor get any support from the House Democratic campaign arm, which has been staying neutral in the primary; and did not show strong fundraising numbers.
Several other Democrats remain in the race, including state Treasurer Dave Young, state Rep. Shannon Bird, and Rep. Manny Rutinel, who was the first to enter, Colorado State Rep. Shannon Bird. Former Marine Evan Munsing and Amie Baca-Oehlert, who used to run the state’s largest teachers union, are also running in the Democratic primary.
